Dear Yatin, and anyone interested in software accessibility in general, Yatin, You’ve written a nice letter. Others on this list have done this and shared also here. We are always greatful when some of us make the effort to liaise with companies for accessibility, although we know well usually they will not take seriously. The attempt is what counts. I thank you and all who do this.
Now to address the technically inclined on this list: I would like to brainstorm. Often, the problem could be fixed from the screen-reader side. At other times, the App developer may need specific information about technical aspects that break accessibility in their apps, such as Window names, handles and class, or the off-screen models and how they are interacted with by the screen-reader, or fail to do so when they break accessibility. The problem is that when end-users like us who are not too technically clued up, we are unable to present those details in our letters to developers. Take for example this statement in Yatin’s letter: “Crippled reading control: Navigating long messages in channels, groups, and personal chats is incredibly challenging due to the absence of character-by-character, word-by-word, line-by-line, or paragraph-by-paragraph reading options. This bug, introduced in November 2021 and despite repeated reports, remains unaddressed, severely impacting the user experience for individuals who rely on screen readers.” At first glance, it may appear to the developer from Yatin’s letter that this is a function of the screen-reader, not of the app. Yet something in the app has broken the screen-reader’s ability to read text by the various reading mode granularity. It may be a nice idea if we could start some sort of forum where letters detailing problems in Apps accessibility by end-users can be first referred to a technically inclined tester, who could then modify the end-user’s letter to include possible app coding adjustments that could fix accessibility. Or perhaps the tester could ascertain that the problem is better written for from the screen-reader’s capability. This is true more so when new features become more widely used so that screen-readers might be trained for such functionality in general, opening up accessibility for more Apps that use such features or functions in their coding. Any thoughts? Kind regards Yamuna Jivana dasa From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of yatin panchal Sent: Saturday, January 27, 2024 12:58 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [AI] Urgent accessibility concerns in telegram from visually impaired user Dear Telegram Team, My name is Yatin Panchal, and I am writing to express my deep concern about the declining accessibility of the Telegram platform for users who rely on screen readers, like myself. As a visually impaired individual, I heavily utilize assistive technologies like TalkBack for Android, VoiceOver for iOS, NVDA, and JAWS for Windows to navigate and interact with digital platforms. Unfortunately, Telegram's recent decline in accessibility features has created significant hurdles in my ability to use the platform effectively. Specifically, the lack of comprehensive screen reader support presents several critical challenges: Limited chat window accessibility: Compared to apps like WhatsApp, clicking the file sharing button in Telegram does not provide sufficient information for screen readers. This makes it difficult for me to understand and access shared files accurately. Crippled reading control: Navigating long messages in channels, groups, and personal chats is incredibly challenging due to the absence of character-by-character, word-by-word, line-by-line, or paragraph-by-paragraph reading options. This bug, introduced in November 2021 and despite repeated reports, remains unaddressed, severely impacting the user experience for individuals who rely on screen readers. It is important to note that I am not solely focusing on Telegram. I have also actively reported similar accessibility issues to Google in hopes of improving TalkBack's functionality. My goal is not to pinpoint blame, but rather to emphasize the collaborative effort needed to address these challenges and ensure everyone can enjoy a truly inclusive digital experience. Therefore, I urge you to prioritize and implement the following changes: Enhanced screen reader compatibility: Ensure all buttons, functions, and menus are readily accessible and consistently announced by screen readers like TalkBack, VoiceOver, NVDA, and JAWS. This will allow for seamless navigation and interaction for users with diverse needs. Urgent resolution of the reading control bug: Fix the critical bug impacting message navigation for screen readers as soon as possible. This will significantly improve the usability and experience for countless visually impaired users who rely on these features. Beyond these changes, I propose two additional actions to further enhance accessibility and inclusivity within Telegram: Create a dedicated accessibility channel: This channel would serve as a safe space for individuals with disabilities to report accessibility issues directly to the Telegram team. This would streamline communication and facilitate immediate feedback for ongoing improvement. Embrace diversity in your recruitment: Consider seeking input and hiring talented individuals with disabilities, such as myself, to contribute to your development team. This firsthand perspective would be invaluable in identifying and addressing accessibility challenges, ultimately leading to a more user-friendly and inclusive platform for everyone. Improving accessibility is not just a technical issue; it is a matter of inclusivity and ensuring all users, regardless of their abilities, feel welcome and valued within the Telegram community. I believe in Telegram's potential and sincerely hope you will join hands with other platforms like Google to address these critical concerns and promote a more accessible digital landscape for everyone. By creating a dedicated accessibility channel and embracing diversity in your workforce, you can open doors for individuals like me and unlock new possibilities for enhanced accessibility on Telegram. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Yatin Panchal. -- Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list.. Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "AccessIndia" group. 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